Looking Inward at the Profession

Robert Frost, Teodora Naydenova, & Kate Seally

Methods and Frameworks for Evaluating Information ManagementRobert FrostMy conference paper and presentation is about a research project I’m currently working on: a review of the literature on information management (IM) evaluation and performance measurement, and the design of an IM evaluation framework. Although there exists extensive bodies of literature on performance measurement, evaluation theory, and IM quality, there is relatively less literature on evaluation and measurement methods within the context of IM practices.I hope that my audience will be able to provide me with constructive feedback on my research and the framework I am designing. I also hope that I will be able to offer my audience a new perspective into the potential capabilities of information professionals, and maybe even a few practical evaluation skills to add to their toolkit.

What it Means to be a Librarian: An Exploration of Contemporary Stereotypes in the Perception of the ProfessionTeodora Naydenova
Research on the image of the librarian has consistently shown the persistence of a significant discrepancy between the internal self-perceptions and the external public perception of the librarian. This divide in image representations has given rise to a powerful trend of librarianship stereotypes that are largely adopted by the public and loosely based on truths. As a result of the enduring nature of these false perceptions, the image of the librarian has been metamorphosed into a simplistic, incomplete, and static representation. Librarians must affirm themselves as the most reliable source of image creation, by becoming more leadership-oriented, more visible, and more active in image harnessing. In conclusion, this research will expose the power of popular trends in shaping representations and altering truths in the formation of persistent stereotypes, as well as the challenges these stereotypes pose to the profession of librarianship.

Museums and Self-CensorshipKate Seally
Museums today face a variety of issues, including a difficult economic climate and the looting of priceless artefacts by organisations like ISIS. While these issues are receiving attention in museum journals, there is another issue that looms over museums that is not being discussed nearly as much. That is the issue of self-censorship museums. Self-censorship is, as the word suggests, the act of museums selectively censoring their own collections, exhibits, or other content. This includes omitting an object or narrative from an exhibit due to its contentious nature, or removing the object or narrative after the exhibit has opened. Self-censorship is a pervasive practice, but it is not always discussed or analysed in museum studies circles. It often happens behind the scenes and away from the public’s attention. In the context of the Sex: A Tell-All Exhibition, I will briefly present how censorship and self-censorship manifest in museums today.